Chicago Public School Bans Home-Packed Lunches

CHICAGO, Il. — At Little Village Academy, a public school on Chicago’s West Side, the principle has decided to ban students from bringing lunches from home. Unless in case of a medical excuse, the children must eat the food that is served in the cafeteria.

At Little Village, most students must take the meals served in the cafeteria or go hungry or both. During a recent visit to the school, dozens of students took the lunch but threw most of it in the garbage uneaten. Though CPS has improved the nutritional quality of its meals this year, it also has seen a drop-off in meal participation among students, many of whom say the food tastes bad.

The principle of the school said she created the policy after watching students bring “bottles of soda and flaming hot chips” on field trips for their lunch.